Posted on March 9, 2014 | 10:07 AM

Filipinos definitely want their daily dose of ‘vitamin bee’ brought to them by “The Singing Bee,” as the hit musical game show has consistently ruled its timeslot and beat its rival program in the ratings game since it started airing on weekday mornings.

Viewers nationwide warmly welcomed “The Singing Bee” as the show hit an average national TV rating of 14.8% in its pilot week (Feb 24 to 28), or nine points higher than GMA’s “Tunay Na Buhay” with only 5.6%, based on data from Kantar Media. It also debuted strongly last February 24, recording a national TV rating of 15.8%, or almost triple that of “Tunay Na Buhay’s” 5.7%.

The country’s new morning habit continues this week with Kapamilya stars Jason Abalos, Ejay Falcon, Empress Schuck, and Liza Soberano trying out their luck on the show this Monday (Mar 10).

News personalities Anthony Taberna, Doris Bigornia, Winnie Cordero, and Bernadette Sembrano will take a break from reporting hard news and will set off the fun on Tuesday (Mar 11).

Posted on March 5, 2014 | 6:28 PM

Before she became primetime television’s ‘Legal Wife,’ award-winning actress Angel Locsin prepared for her role as Monica by talking to women with cheating husbands, as well as to men who left their wives for another woman.

“I spoke to women who have the same story as my character, to married men who have had extramarital affairs, and to mistresses,” Angel shares with Anthony Taberna in “Tapatan Ni Tunying” airing this Thursday (March 6).

As an advocate of “Gabriela,” an organization that advocates women and children’s issues, Angel has mingled with and talked to wives who suffered from domestic disputes and violence even before she began working on the said drama series.

“Every time I join counseling, I know that I am not in the right place to judge and give advice. I’m there to support and empower them as women, and also to learn from their stories,” she explains.

For Angel, her counseling experiences have helped her not only in effectively portraying her television roles, but also in expanding her understanding of women’s issues.

While Angel advocates women empowerment, political activist Mae Paner, also known as Juana Change, calls for radical change in Philippine politics.

“I think every Filipino should learn how to volunteer. They should also know what’s happening,” Mae says. “People have to learn to receive criticism,” she adds, insinuating President Noynoy Aquino’s perceived hypersensitivity to negative remarks on his administration.

Mae also fires back at her detractors, who claim she hasn’t done anything worthwhile for her fellow Filipinos aside from appearing and speaking at rallies.

“We have this project called Yakap, wherein I adopted 21 Yolanda survivors and let them stay in my house. I treated them like they were family,” she shares.

She adds, “To those who have criticized me and asked what I’ve done for the victims of Yolanda, my answer is, ‘Excuse me!’”

Don’t miss “Tapatan ni Tunying” (TNT) in the first Thursday (March 6) of International Women’s Month, 4:45 PM on ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya Gold. For updates, follow @TNTunying on Twitter or like its Facebook page www.facebook.com/TNTunying.

Posted on February 26, 2014 | 8:03 PM

After quashing reports that she will run for vice president in the 2016 national elections, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos–Recto hints at her possible retirement from politics in “Tapatan Ni Tunying” this Thursday (Feb 27).

“I want to have time for myself too. I’m not getting any younger,” Gov. Vilma says in her interview with anchor Anthony Taberna.

The multi-awarded actress turned politician believes that she has already accomplishment so much as a public servant because she was able to gain the trust of Batangueños.

“The mere fact that the people of Batangas, known as ‘barakos,’ trust a woman, that they believe in me and follow my orders — that’s priceless,” she proudly says.

However, she said her political supporters should not be dismayed as she is still uncertain about her retirement plans. “I don’t want to give confirmation yet because things may change. Just like when I became governor, and then mayor. I did not plan that, it just happened,” she shares.

Meanwhile, Gov. Vilma also tackles rumors that her eldest son Luis Manzano is planning to get into politics and run for office in Batangas.

“When I was mayor, some were urging Lucky to run. I also asked him if he’s interested. He said ‘Yes, maybe. I grew up seeing you in that kind of job, but I will tell you if I’m prepared already,’” she reveals.

Gov. Vilma, on the other hand, believes that it’s not yet time for Luis to venture into public governance. “I don’t think he’s ready. But if he decides to run for a position, I will send him to school first just like how Sen. Ralph Recto told me to do,” she shares.

Posted on February 19, 2014 | 12:52 PM

Being a Binay is difficult and more of a disadvantage, according to siblings Mayor Junjun Binay and Senator Nancy Binay, as they are more susceptible to harsh public criticism.

This is pertaining to the controversial Dasmariñas Village incident where Mayor Junjun allegedly threatened the village guards and asked them “Don’t you know me?” when his four-vehicle convoy was prohibited from exiting through one of its gates. Mayor Junjun was wildly bashed online after the CCTV video of the incident became viral.

Mayor Junjun denied the said report and claimed that it was maliciously made up. He also clarified that he did not abuse his authority.

“Obviously, the incident was wrongly reported and sensationalized. They know that people buy those kinds of stories,” Mayor Junjun explains in “Tapatan Ni Tunying,” which airs this Thursday (Feb 20).

Sen. Nancy, whose car was at the end of her brother’s convoy during the incident, also shrugged off the issue.

“I told Mayor Junjun, ‘It’s your fault because you stepped out of the car! They saw you and realized we didn’t look like people who live in the village,’” she quips.

The senator also believes that the story only escalated because some people want to tarnish the image of their father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, who plans to run for president in the 2016 national elections.

“It’s all about 2016. They can’t bring our father down. So, it is my reputation and the reputation of other people around him that are being destroyed,” she says.

Posted on January 17, 2014 | 10:24 AM

ABS-CBN, “In The Service of the Filipino,” brings a free-to-air television channel to our Kapamilyas who not only watch and support their favorite teams and athletes, but analyze and play the games themselves. ABS-CBN Sports+Action goes hand-in-hand with the network’s cable TV, pay-per-view, and digital platforms to create a unique and engaging sports hub for Pinoy sports fans.

ABS-CBN Sports+Action will continue its coverage of the of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Azkals, the highest-ranked Southeast Asian football club, Top Rank fights including champion Nonito Donaire, and ALA Boxing fighters’ bouts in “Pinoy Pride.”

Stand by for special coverages of the greatest global athletes in the sporting worlds’ biggest stages like the courts of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the octagons of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and football fields of 2014 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.

ABS-CBN Sports+Action keeps you up-to-date with current events via “News +”, with Anthony “Tunying” Taberna breaking down the day’s biggest issues so viewers’ can understand how it affects their daily lives. Meanwhile, TJ Manotoc gives us “The Score”, in this 15-minute daily sports news program which tackles the biggest stories in sports.

Meanwhile, action thrill seekers get their fix reliving the memorable films of the “King of Philippine Movies,” Fernando Poe Jr. in “FPJ: Hari ng Aksyon.” ABS-CBN Sports+Action also debuts the explosive new series “The Ultimate Fighter: China” and “Zero Hours,” joining returning series “CSI,” “NCIS,” “Once Upon a Time,” and “WWE.”

Watch out for the drama, action, and excitement of sports on ABS-CBN Sports+Action Channel 23 beginning Saturday (January 18).

Posted on January 7, 2014 | 7:17 PM

“If he gets a tax exemption, I’ll complain. Probably you and many people, mostly the poor ones, will protest too,” Robin says.

Robin is referring to Velenzuela Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo’s proposed tax exemption bill for Pacquiao for making Filipinos proud in the field of boxing, following his controversial P2.2 billion tax evasion case. The actor also said that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) would not have filed a case against him without basis.

“The BIR would have not sued our ‘Pambansang Kamao,’ our hero, for no reason. With that, Manny has the right to defend himself, but he must never have a tax exemption,” he explains.

Moreover, Robin encourages Filipinos to pay their taxes. Robin says that he fully recognized the importance of settling tax debts after being freed from prison in 1998.

“When I got out from the Bilibid, the Lord blessed me with the right persons to be with, who taught me to prioritize my taxes,” he shares.

Aside from expressing his bold political views, the action star also opens up about his 30-year career in showbiz, as well as his life as a son, a husband, and a father of six.

Posted on December 18, 2013 | 9:15 PM

Comic couple Jason Francisco and Melissa “Melai” Cantiveros will not leave the entertainment industry after getting married and preparing for parenthood.

“If given a chance, I’ll be back in showbiz. But I want to take care of my baby first for at least three to four months. I want to be a hands-on mother,” Melai shared with Anthony Taberna in “Tapatan ni Tunying” (TNT) airing this Thursday (Dec 19).

Melai and Jason are expecting to welcome their baby in April. Jason, on the other hand, is having second thoughts about having many children contrary to his prior dream of having a big family.

“At first, I dreamt of a one big happy family. But after attending seminars before the wedding, I learned that it is not easy. I really wanted a big family but I have to think of my wife’s health condition,” Jason explained.

With all the challenges that tested their relationship, Jason believes that their bond has become stronger and more emotionally stable, which has made them ready for parenthood.

When asked if Melai will still get married if she did not get pregnant, she gave a resounding yes.

“I did not have second thoughts because he told me that he is already prepared to settle down, and he wants to build a family with me. I also feel the same,” Melai said.

The well-loved Melai and Jason’s love team budded during their stay in the “Pinoy Big Brother” (PBB) house. They recently tied the knot in Melai’s hometown General Santos City.

The couple also reminisces how their romantic relationship started and what they went through these past years in the episode.

Amy started her career in show business as an actress back in 1984. She appeared in movies like “Campus Beat” and “Jack & Jill” before she ventured into hosting. Her biggest break as a host happened in the early 90s when she hosted “’Sang Linggo nAPO Sila,” which was immediately followed by “Magandang Tanghali Bayan.”

She also appeared on television with her role as Amelia in the long-running sitcom “Palibhasa Lalaki” as one of her most memorable roles. Amy currently hosts the musical game show “The Singing Bee” every weekend alongside Roderick Paulate.

Posted on December 4, 2013 | 5:51 PM

UAAP’s Most Valuable Players and PBA rookies Terrence Romeo and Ryan Roose “RR” Garcia both deny their rumored rivalry, particularly during the UAAP games where they both played for Far Eastern University, in “Tapatan Ni Tunying” this Thursday (December 5).

“RR and I don’t have a rift. People think that we are competing on the hardcourt, but no. We are just giving our best to help our team to win,” Romeo said.

“If it were true, we would have lost in the very first round of the game. We both work very hard,” Garcia added.

Romeo and Garcia were recently drafted in the PBA under the team GlobalPort Batang Pier, signed three-year contracts, and got maximum rookie deals. They will receive P8.5 million each during the span of the deal.

More than the amount they will receive as official PBA players, the two are happy to finally achieve their dreams of getting into professional basketball and playing with the country’s top players.

“Our new teammates warmly welcomed us. The veteran players are always guiding and mentoring us. We are so happy,” Romeo shared.

Aside from clarifying issues about them, the two basketball heartthrobs will also talk about their respective relationships in the episode.

Posted on November 30, 2013 | 9:22 AM

ABS-CBN and DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 were named as the TV Station of the Year and the Radio Station of the Year at the 3rd Makatao Awards for Media Excellence given by the prestigious People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) recently.

This is the seventh time this year that ABS-CBN was recognized as the best TV station from different award giving bodies like the Gawad Tanglaw Awards, Golden Screen TV Awards, Golden Dove Awards, Rotary Club of Manila Journalism Awards, Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) Awards, and the Star Awards for TV.

“TV Patrol,” the country’s most watched primetime TV newscast, was declared Best TV newscast, while its anchor Korina Sanchez was named Best Female TV Newscaster.

For the third consecutive year, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 again swept all accolades in the radio categories. “Kabayan” Noli de Castro won as Best Radio Newscaster, Anthony Taberna won as Best Public Affairs Host, “Radyo Patrol Balita” won as Best Radio News Program, and “Dos Por Dos won as Best Public Affairs Program.

Makatao Awards annually honors members of the mass media for their outstanding contributions in enhancing public understanding of the role and impact of good people management.

PMAP is a 50-year old non-profit, professional organization of over 1,800 member companies and individual management executives engaged or interested in human resource management (HRM) and industrial relations (IR) work.

Posted on August 1, 2013 | 10:27 AM

Actress Karla Estrada uncovers her son Daniel Padilla’s love life and reveals to Anthony Taberna that her son has never had a girlfriend in “Tapatan ni Tunying” this Thursday (August 1).

According to Karla, despite being continuously linked to Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel has never committed himself to anyone because he is conservative. Karla, however, believes that Daniel is mature enough to handle relationships on his own.

“The Padillas are tagged as womanizers and Daniel wants to change that perspective,” she says in the interview.

Aside from this, Karla also talks about her four failed relationships, including that with Daniel’s father, Rommel Padilla.

Meanwhile, Eva Cariño, matriarch of the Padilla showbiz clan, dishes out her worries about BB Gandanghari’s plan to undergo sex change as she fears complications might arise during the procedure.

She also admits that just like BB’s siblings, she is taking her time to accept the gender preference of her son.

“It was hard to accept the news at first. I sometimes get mad to BB but she’s really beautiful, I have to admit that,” Eva says.

Aside from BB’s coming out, Robin’s imprisonment in 1995 was also one of the hardest chapters of her life. How did Eva remain strong amidst conflicts and controversies involving her children?

Venus and Shamcey have certainly brought back the Philippine’s glory in the most prestigious global beauty pageant, Miss Universe. However, while both of them have become iconic beauties, their respective love life turned totally different.

Miss Universe 2011 third runner up, Shamcey, is now engaged to her two-year Filipino-Chinese boyfriend, Lloyd Lee. “I’ve waited for the right time. I’m only going to a relationship when I’m ready to settle,” said Shamcey.

The couple was even more delighted after Lloyd’s conservative family easily accepted Shamcey, despite her being non-Chinese.

Venus, meanwhile, took a 180-degree turn when Miss Universe 2010 fourth runner up ended her one-year romance with TV host, Andrei Felix last May. Speculations surfaced that they broke up because Venus’ family was against her relationship with Andrei.

“We came to the point where my siblings and I were fighting. They were asking me to choose between him and them. When I chose him, my siblings and I cut our communication for few months. I missed my family,” Venus confirmed.

In the episode, Shamcey also takes the viewers to her wedding preparations, while Venus opens the doors of her never-before seen condominium unit and her newly built house in Bicol. Venus will also answer rumors about her career, particularly why she is no longer part of “Umagang Kay Ganda” and “ASAP.”

It was the first time for Pimentel and Zubiri to face each other in a TV debate since the campaign period started. Pimentel brought up Zubiri’s alleged involvement in the 2007 electoral fraud case. Zubiri reiterated that he was not involved in any form of cheating and that he had already proven his integrity when he resigned from his post in 2011.

Towards the end of the debate, Zubiri dropped the bomb and made the controversial allegation against Pimentel. Zubiri revealed that Pimentel’s wife, Jewel Lobaton, allegedly recounted to him and his wife how she was abused by her husband. Pimentel belied Zubiri’s claims and said that it’s impossible for him to abuse his wife because her mother lives with them in one roof. He even threatened to file libel charges against Zubiri.

Posted on March 13, 2013 | 6:04 PM

The heated debate between incumbent Manila mayor Alfredo Lim and former president Joseph Estrada in the “Umagang Harapan” segment of ABS-CBN’s morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda” became a hot topic and went viral online as netizens watched the intense word war that transpired between the two Manila mayoral candidates.

Erap and Lim traded barbs on national TV regarding their qualifications, capacity to maintain peace and order in the city, Estrada’s plunder conviction, and many more issues that drew cheers and jeers from the live audience at the studio.

Erap was first to fire at Lim when he talked about the debt of the City of Manila to Meralco allegedly amounting to P872 million. Lim hit Estrada by highlighting the plunder charges against Estrada that removed him from presidency.

Tension further built up when Estrada recounted how Lim visited him while he was on house arrest in Tanay, Rizal in 2004 and even “cried” while asking forgiveness from him. Lim belied Estrada’s claims and said he would never shed a tear for a criminal.

“Umagang Harapan,” moderated by anchor Anthony Taberna, is regularly seen every Tuesday in “Umagang Kay Ganda” as part of ABS-CBN’s News and Current Affairs comprehensive, reliable, and engaging “Halalan 2013” coverage.

Posted on November 30, 2012 | 7:30 PM

ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs launches an all-new weekday current affairs program in a revolutionary move to make public service more accessible to Filipino audiences.

Beginning Monday (Dec 3), ABS-CBN’s seasoned broadcast journalists will tackle real-life accounts of Filipinos and help in solving problems that affect their communities and families in “Pinoy True Stories.”

“This program will hunt and punish the offender, help victims, and teach a lesson or two. Through ABS-CBN’s decision to place the new current affairs show on an earlier timeslot, we hope to make citizens better-informed, engage more viewers, and foster a dialogue of significant issues,” said ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs head Ging Reyes.

Julius Babao opens the week in the action-packed “Bistado Monday” to uncover cases of abuse, neglect or cruelty, as well as corrupt practices in the government and the various modus operandi of criminals.

In “Engkwentro Tuesday,” Karen Davila mediates between clashing parties in relationships, families, and neighborhoods to help them resolve their conflicts and reach an agreement.

News reporters Maan Macapagal and Dominic Almelor, meanwhile, lend a hand to people stuck in accidents, calamity, or the cycle of maltreatment in “Saklolo Wednesday.”

Anthony Taberna provides the public legal help and advice in “Demandahan Thursday” to help solve the most problematic disputes in court.

Posted on September 27, 2012 | 6:11 PM

ABS-CBN and DZMM received top honors at the recently concluded Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) Awards for their commitment to eradicating criminality and corruption and assisting crime victims.

ABS-CBN and DZMM were given special awards as Television and Radio Stations of the Year, while public service program “Failon Ngayon” bagged the highest honor in the Anti-Corruption category for exposing and acting on corrupt practices that affect the public.

Current affairs program “XXX” was named the Best Television Show, while one of its anchors Julius Babao was hailed as the Best Television Show Host.

Also distinguished were DZMM’s magazine program “Rated Korina” and anchor Korina Sanchez in the Teleradyo category, “Dos Por Dos” anchor Anthony Taberna in the Radio News Anchor category, and DZMM Radyo Patrol 38 Noel Alamar in the Radio Reporter category.

The awards were given at the 14th anniversary of VACC, a non-government organization that aims to fight crime and promote justice in the country.